Find out how popular the last name Rafiq is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Rafiq.

Rafiq, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Rafiq surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rafiq in America

Rafiq is the 27110th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rafiq surname appeared 893 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Rafiq.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rafiq to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Rafiq

The surname Rafiq has its origins in the Arabic language and is most commonly found in countries with significant Muslim populations, particularly in the Middle East and South Asia. It is derived from the Arabic word "rafiq," which translates to "companion" or "friend."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Rafiq can be traced back to the 7th century CE, during the rise of Islam and the subsequent expansion of Arab influence across the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Europe. As Muslim scholars, traders, and travelers ventured into new lands, they carried their names with them, contributing to the spread of Arabic surnames like Rafiq.

In the Indian subcontinent, the name Rafiq gained popularity during the Delhi Sultanate period (1206-1526 CE) and the subsequent Mughal Empire (1526-1857 CE). As these Muslim empires exerted their influence over the region, many individuals adopted or were bestowed with Arabic names, including Rafiq.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname Rafiq was Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi (854-925 CE), a Persian polymath who made significant contributions to the fields of medicine, philosophy, and chemistry. His works, such as the renowned medical text "Al-Hawi," were widely influential and helped shape the development of medical knowledge during the Islamic Golden Age.

Another prominent individual with the surname Rafiq was Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib (1797-1869), a renowned Urdu and Persian poet from the Mughal Empire. His poetic works, including the celebrated "Diwan-e-Ghalib," are widely regarded as masterpieces of Urdu literature and have had a lasting impact on the literary traditions of South Asia.

In more recent history, Mustafa Rafiq (1872-1937) was a prominent Egyptian lawyer and politician who played a significant role in the Egyptian nationalist movement during the early 20th century. He served as the Minister of Justice and Education and was a vocal advocate for Egyptian independence from British colonial rule.

Mian Muhammad Rafiq (1905-1981) was a Pakistani politician and diplomat who served as the country's first Foreign Minister from 1947 to 1949. He played a crucial role in shaping Pakistan's foreign policy during its formative years and represented the nation at various international forums.

Lastly, Syeda Rafiq Fatima (1893-1978) was a renowned Pakistani educator and women's rights activist. She dedicated her life to promoting education and empowerment for women in Pakistan and founded several educational institutions, including the prestigious Fatima Jinnah Women's University in Rawalpindi.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rafiq

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Rafiq.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Rafiq was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Rafiq has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Rafiq was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Rafiq, please contact us.

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